Difficult situations are supposed to get you closer
to God, not farther away. What difficult situation are you dealing with? What
difficult people are you dealing with? How are you responding to the difficult
situation and people in your life? And even the most well meaning friend can lead you astray. If we examine
ourselves (our hearts) and our responses (which also comes from our hearts), I
think God shows us characteristics he wants removed that we manifest when dealing with others. Are you identifying dross in
your character, removing it and replacing it with godly characteristics or
fueling the fire of bitterness, greed, lust and dissension?
Job's friends wanted to sympathize and comfort. They were in agony for him and they put dust on their own heads and sat with him for seven days without a word. Do you have friends who will do that? However, after Eliphaz spoke, God had this to say in Job 42:7, "I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has." So, what did the friends say?? They spoke with the understanding of their culture and traditions. Job spoke with the understanding that he does not understand God's ways. Job spoke focusing on Truth even though he did not know all of it...he had faith.
In chapter three, Job starts talking but does not curse God. He does not justify himself with a list of good deeds. He spoke about his weakness (6:24-7:21). Eliphaz starts naming Job's good deeds in chapter four. This does not show humility like Job.
Eliphaz says:
1) Job has strengthened/supported many
2) His piety should be his confidence
3) His blameless ways should be his hope
4) As I have observed, those who sow evil reap it
5) Seems he thinks God is inaccessible and distant and wants answers (5:1)
6) I would plea my case to God, he advises Job
Eliphaz uses the phrase, "I have seen..." several times. He uses what he observes and thinks that is truth. But remember, he is filtering his knowledge through his culture, traditions, experiences and observations. And tradition says that if you are a good person, good happens to you. And, if you are a bad person, bad happens to you. That is not truth from God.
Conclusion: Basically, Eliphaz went up to Job in his sorrow and said, "So, what did you do wrong for this curse to fall on you?" Have you ever said that to someone at a funeral? I think not. It only makes Job even more anguished. Job's joy according to 6:10 was NOT denying the Holy One even in unrelenting pain. He realizes there is no strength in the flesh, he friends are undependable (6:17), and he should not follow advice from people who turn from the Lord to other stuff (like pride and self righteousness) in search for worldly comforts (6:18-21).
Next week: What does Bildad say and how does Job reply?
In chapter three, Job starts talking but does not curse God. He does not justify himself with a list of good deeds. He spoke about his weakness (6:24-7:21). Eliphaz starts naming Job's good deeds in chapter four. This does not show humility like Job.
Eliphaz says:
1) Job has strengthened/supported many
2) His piety should be his confidence
3) His blameless ways should be his hope
4) As I have observed, those who sow evil reap it
5) Seems he thinks God is inaccessible and distant and wants answers (5:1)
6) I would plea my case to God, he advises Job
Eliphaz uses the phrase, "I have seen..." several times. He uses what he observes and thinks that is truth. But remember, he is filtering his knowledge through his culture, traditions, experiences and observations. And tradition says that if you are a good person, good happens to you. And, if you are a bad person, bad happens to you. That is not truth from God.
Conclusion: Basically, Eliphaz went up to Job in his sorrow and said, "So, what did you do wrong for this curse to fall on you?" Have you ever said that to someone at a funeral? I think not. It only makes Job even more anguished. Job's joy according to 6:10 was NOT denying the Holy One even in unrelenting pain. He realizes there is no strength in the flesh, he friends are undependable (6:17), and he should not follow advice from people who turn from the Lord to other stuff (like pride and self righteousness) in search for worldly comforts (6:18-21).
Next week: What does Bildad say and how does Job reply?
No comments:
Post a Comment